Cable operated curtain fixture



1951 A. 'r. HAGERTY ETAL CABLE OPERATED CURTAIN FIXTURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1945 a m m w um wm r n MEG wa Z Maw flY Dec. 18, 1951 A. 'r. HAGERTY ETAL 2,579,187

CABLE OPERATED CURTAIN FIXTURE Filed Sept. 5, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'I'I ""1" IIIIIIII. 1".

Patented Dec. 18, 1951 Andrew T. Hag erty and TheronF. Brennemarn. Elkhart, Ind., assignorsto The Adlake Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 5, 1945, Serial No'. 614,512

' 6 Claims. (01. 60479) Our invention has to do with improvements in cable curtain fixtures.

It is an object of the invention to provide. an improved roller curtain installation, particularly adapted for use in a railway passenger car or an automobile bus, wherein the curtain is mounted in a window frame having opposite sideguide channels which receive the ends of a hollow bottom fixture on the curtain, and, wherein the position of the bottom of the curtain is adjustably controlled by engagement with a pair of cables, each having oneend secured to the window frame adjacent the top of one side guide channel and the other end secured to the frame adjacent the bottom of the opposite side guide channel, and each extending from its upper end downwardly along the adjacent guide channel, then through the hollow bottom curtain fixture, and down along the opposite guide channel to the other end.

More specifically, it is an' object of our invention to provide, in the curtain construction described, improved means for controlling the positioning of the bottom of the curtain, which means may be adjusted to secure proper operation of the same after it has been installed.

Another object of our invention is to provide an anti-rattler means, to eliminate the noise usually present in such curtain constructions, due to initially loose fitting parts, or to. parts having become loose through wear.

Further objects of our invention will be apparent from the illustrated preferred embodiment of the same which is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a curtain installation embodying our improvements;

Fig. 2 is a section on a larger scale, taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a top cable clip mounted in a side guide channel, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section through the bottom of the curtain to an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a bottom cable anchor mounted in a side guide channel, taken on line B6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a view taken on line of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8, but men enlarged scale;

Fig. 10 is a section taken on line Ill-f0 of F .Fig.v 11 is a section taken on line ll|l of Fig. 8; x

Fig. 12 is an elevation .of the anti-rattler member; and vFig. 13 is a side view of the anti-rattler member,

A preferred form of our construction is shown, by way of example, in Fig. 1, installed in a window of a railway passenger car or automobile bus. The curtain I0 is mounted in a window frame H which is secured in an aperture in the wall [2 of the vehicle body, and which comprises a bottom sill l3, a top header [4 and oppositely disposed side guide channels IS. A conventional sash unit I6 is supported on the outer side. of the frame .I I. The curtain I'll which is arranged to be raised and lowered adjacent the one side of the sash I6 is attached to the roller [1, Fig. 2, which is supported in the header [4 by the brackets IS, in a conventional manner. The bottom or free end of the curtain has attached thereto an elongated fixture tube l9 which is adapted to receive two cables 20 and 2| by means of which the tube is retained in horizontal position as it moves up and down in positioning the bottom of the curtain. Each, one of thecables 20 and 2| is attached to the frame adjacent the top of one of the side guide channels l5 and extends downwardly along the side guide channel to the end of the tube [9, then through the tube to the opposite side of the window,,and then down along the guide channel 15 at that side to a point of attachment adjacent the bottom of the channel. By this arrangement the bottom of the curtain may be readily raised or lowered to any desired position and will beretained in such position by the frictional engagement with the cables with the tube.

, Where the window in which the curtain is installed is relatively wide, which is frequently the case in passenger cars and busses, the tube vI9 on the bottom of the curtain, II] is very apt to be grasped, by the person attempting to raise or lower the curtain, at some distance from the center, that is, near one side or the other of the window, so that force is applied near the end of the same which tends to tilt or twist the tube out of horizontal position and to how the tube in a manner to pull the opposite end out of its position in its guide channel. To overcome this difficulty it is found desirable not only to have the tube ends move relatively freely in the side guide channels but also to have the cables properly adjusted with respect to the tube 19 and to each steadily on the cables. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to adjust the cables from time to time to take up stretch or wear and to maintain them in proper relation with respect to the tube l9 and to each other, so that the tube [9 will, at all times, be retained in horizontal position.

We have provided for this adjustment by means of a top jcable clip 22 which is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The clip 22 is provided on one end with wing portions 23 which are bent over the end of the cable and permanently secured thereto, by brazing .or the like. The other end or main portion of the clip 22, in the preferred construction, has an elongated aperture 24 adapted to receive a machine screw 25 by means of which the clip is secured in the guide channel 15. The position oi the top end of each cable may thus be adjustedby movement of the clip 22 within the limits of the length of the aperture 24;, which is made as long as desirable to provide forxproper adjustment of the fixture rod l9 and to compensate for stretch and wear. The lower end of each cable is securely attached to the frame in the manner shown in Figs.. 6 and. 'Z. A. bottom cable anchor member 26 is provided having a laterally pro,- jecting portion 211 in which there is an aperture 28' to receive. the lower end of the cable, the cable being secured therein by the set screw 29. The member 26 is: secured in the guide channel l by means of a set screw 38 which is received in an aperture iii in the lower portion of the member. This arrangement provides. a fixed anchorage for the lower. end of each. of the. cables;

Referringto- Fig. 5, the tube i9 is secured: to the bottom ofthe curtain I 0 by a securing strip 32 which is doubled back upon itself around the tube and secured by stitching 3.3 or the like to the bottom of the curtain ILB. An apron member 34 which comprises two parts 35 and 3B is secured around the strip 32 by connecting the parts with spaced set screws. 31. The apron. 34 provides. a grip for the. user and also secures the tube L9 more firmly to.- the curtain Ill. Other constructions may be adopted to securely fasten the tube" l9 tothe bottom ofthe curtain. The tube l-S' extends the length of the curtain and has attached to :each enda fixture tip- 38, details of which are shown in Figs. 8 to.- 11. The fixture tip 38 has a screw-threaded connection 3% with the end of the tube l9 and extends into. the channel I5. The tip 38 is flared outwardly toward the top and the bottom as shown at 48. It is also flattened on the sides so that; the end is received within theconfines of the channel I5. The outer end of-the tip 38: is, of course, open to receive the cables 20 and. 21' which pass through the tip into tube l9 in frictional engagement with the inside of the tip. The tip 38' is provided on each of its flattened sides with an aperture or indent M. It also has a portion 42 cut away on each side at the outer and. An anti-rattler member 43 is provided as illustrated in Figs. 12; and'l3. Theanti-rattler member 43", which is made orrubber or some similar material, isprovided with projecting side members 44 which are adapted to be received in the apertures M ofthe tip- 38 to retain the member 43 in position in the tip. The member 13 also has extending sideporti'ons 65 which are, received in the cut-away" portion- 42 of the tip 38 and project beyond the same.

The shape of the 'm'emberdjti is such that when it is nn 'sitio inthe' t p 38 th re i u fl'cient clearance between the surface $8 of. themember and the opposed inner walls of the tip 38 to permit the passage of the cables 20 and 2|. It will be obvious that by securing an anti-rattler member 43 in each of the tips 38 direct engagement of the tip with the channel IE will be prevented and any engagement will be between the surfaces of the channel l5 and the projecting' portions 45' of the member 43. This arrangement eliminates the rattling noise in operating the curtain which would otherwise result from engagement of the tips 38 with the channels l5. We have provided the tube IS with an inner rubber tube 47 to further reduce the noise of operation by eliminating any noise which would otherwise result from the cables vibrating and striking against the inner walls of the tube.

As shown in Fig. 3 the channel 15 includes a light shielding flange 48 which extends inwardly from the channel guide l5 over the side edge of the window curtain m. The arrangement of the channel l5, as shown. in Fig. 8, is but one of many arrangements which might be adopted. It is. necessary for proper operation of the curtain that the channel [5 include a guide portion 49 to receivethe fixturetips on the ends of the tube l8 and guide them' in their movement, which movement accompanies the raising and lowering of the bottom of the curtain.

While we have disclosed our construction as particularly adapted for use in a railway passenger car or automobile, bus, it is not intended that. its application be limited to such installations. The arrangement may be found useful in any'installation where a retractable curtain or shade is' employed to coveran opening and where it is desirable to be able to readily raise and lower the bottom of the curtain and have it remain in a. selected position, particularly, where, a wide opening is involved. Other details of construction within the spirit of our invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. In window curtain construction of" the type having a roller mounted curtain with a tube on the free end thereof, andvertical, channels adapted to guide the ends of the tube, a pair of cables each of which is secured at its upper end in the upper portion of one of the channels and at its lower end in the lower portion of the opposite channel, the intermediate portions of said cables extending through said tube and the end portions thereof extending in opposite directions from the ends of the tube, a fixture tip on. each end of said tube comprising, a flattened, flared, open ended tubular section,.adapted to freely slide in theadjacent guide. channel, said fixture tip having curved internal. cable bearing. surfaces, and a removable, resilient anti-rattler member frictionally secured in the open end of said flared tubular section,. said anti-rattler member having its inner portions spaced from said cable bearing surfaces and its outer portions extending laterally of, the associated. tubular section for eng agement with the associated guide channel.

2. A window construction comprising a frame having guide channels along opposite sides, a roller curtain having its roller mounted adjacent one end of said guide channelsv and having a tubular rod member on its movable end, end extensions on said rod member having flattened flared open ends received in said guide channels, a pair of cables, each having one end attached adjacent the curtain roller mounting at the end. of one of said guide channels and extending, along said guide channel, through said tubular memher on the free end of the curtain, and along the opposite guide-channel, and attached at the other end of the said opposite guide channel, an anti-rattler member removably positioned in the open end of each of said end extensions, the respective end extensions having cut away portions and said anti-rattler members having portions received therein and extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with the said guide channels.

3. In a roller curtain installation wherein the curtain is mounted in a window frame having opposite side guide channels which receive the ends of a hollow bottom fixture on the curtain, and wherein the position of the bottom of the curtain is adjustably controlled by engagement with a pair of cables, each cable having one end secured to the window frame adjacent the top of one of said guide channels and the other end secured to the frame adjacent the bottom of the opposite side guide channel with an intermediate portion extending through the hollow bottom curtain fixture; an anchor member for securing an end of one of the cables in adjusted relation to the window frame comprising a platelike member positioned in the associated side guide channel and having means for securing the same in adjusted relation to the frame and a member projecting outwardly of the side guide channel and having means for rigidly securing .30

thereto the other end of the cable.

4. In a cable curtain fixture comprising a tubular cable receiving member adapted for association with the end of a curtain, flattened open ends on said tubular member having oppositely directed internal cable bearing surfaces and free end portions adapted to be received in guide channels of a window frame and anti-rattler membershaving portions frictionally retained in said open ends and other portions extending beyond the flattened sides of said open ends adapted for engagement with said guide channels, said frictionally retained portions being in spaced relation to said cable bearing surfaces.

5. In a cable curtain fixture comprising a tubular cable receiving member adapted for association with the end of a curtain, open end members on said tubular member having relatively flat side face portions and free end portions adapted to be received in freely sliding relation in the guide channels of a window frame, said open end members having oppositely directed internal cable bearing surfaces, and antirattler members having portions extending into and retained in the free ends of said open end members and having other portions extending beyond the fiat side face portions of said open end members adapted for engagement with said guide channels, said portions of said anti-rattler members which extend into said open end members being in spaced relation to said cable bearing surfaces.

6. In a cable curtain fixture which is attachable to the lower end of a window curtain for coaction with cables and vertical guide channels at the sides of a window, a tubular member through which overlapped portions of the cables at the sides of the window are extendable horizontally, said member being provided adjacent its ends with vertically spaced upwardly and downwardly curved cable bearing surfaces about which the cables entering the ends of said member are trained, and said member being also provided beyondsaid curved bearing surfaces with extensions, which extensions include cable guiding portions which close off the space beyond said bearing surfaces outwardly of the latter to confine the cables to said surfaces, and also include antirattler portions which project outwardly and laterally with respect to said surfaces for sliding coaction within the guide channels.

ANDREW T. HAGERTY. THERON F. BRENNEMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

